Wake periods every hundred years feel just like regular family mornings, with breakfast and conversation, except we’re all the same age and not related – optimising genetic diversity. We fantasise about our return, our second chance.

Back in my pod, on the cusp of sleep, I’m a child again in my parents’ home, all the paraphernalia of our lives drifting before me in tumultuous disarray. Oblivion envelops me before my tears form.

I’m glad you enjoyed the story, Ali. I hope it doesn’t come to this, but there doesn’t seem to be much good news on offer whenever they make a doco about the state of things. Thanks for commenting, and I’ll check out ‘The 100’. I haven’t seen it.

I seem to find sci-fi is my ‘go to’ genre when other ideas refuse to materialise. I love reading good sci-fi, but I’m very fussy, so I get very excited when I discover an author I like. Thank you for commenting, Sandra. I always appreciate your feedback.

I’m glad you commented on that, Liz. I really wanted to show the cost, rather than the hope. Hope for a second chance is nice, but wouldn’t it be better if we woke up to what we’re doing in time to save having to pay that cost?